twilightpony | The Official Glue

It's been a long day. I had to get up early to be ready for my dawn pickup. Celestia's chariot, pulled by two of the castle guard pegasi, landed on the cleared walk in front of my door just before sunrise. I was wearing the winter cloak with the sparkling hem that Rarity gave me, but in the chariot there was a travel blanket and I threw that on too for extra warmth. As Celestia's sun painted the morning sky, we too rose to heed the call of Canterlot.

After a speedy ride through brightening skies we touched down in the castle courtyard in Canterlot. There a livery pony waited to lead me inside to where I put on my crown and an attendant then took my cloak and saddle bag. No books or checklists for the rest of the day. I was lead down to the hall to where I had breakfast with Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. It was the same procedure as last year, but we went over the protocol of presence anyway.

We finished in time to make our entrance in the Grand Hall before the assembled mayors and officials of Equestria. This was the Annual Assembly of Equestrian Municipal Affairs. We took our seats, then they took theirs, then Princess Luna gave the Speech From the Throne. Chairpony Flax Bit then proceeded to call each mayor and official in turn to submit their reports, and each was received by the Royal Committee on Equestrian Finance and Civic Affairs, seated just below us. We didn't speak, the Royal Committee asked all the questions. We just made the proceedings official and important.

Running Equestria is important, but everypony needs to be reminded of that importance every so often. So we sat and watched. All day long. I concentrated on my breathing.

Lunch break was all too brief. I'd barely managed to work the stiffness out of my rump when recess was over and we were back in our thrones. I wondered how Princess Cadence was doing. She must be as big as a whale by now. Trying to keep a straight face kept me busy for several minutes. It wouldn't do to burst out laughing while the Mayor of Vanhoover recounted how they had sawflies invade their orchards this year (they brought in extra rain and the rust cleared out the sawflies before they had cut down too many branches). It was a long afternoon. Each official had a written report as well and by evening the table in front of the committee was piled high with papers. Papers I could have read.

Supper break, still a few towns to go.

At last. We retired, giving the committee time to deliberate and the princess time to lower the sun raise the moon and for me to stretch my legs. Then it was back to the thrones for the committee's closing remarks and for us to sign and seal the register. Then every pony rose one last time as we filed out the room. Princess duty. Check.

I got my saddle bags back, stashed my crown away, put on my cloak and stepped out into the Canterlot night. In the courtyard, Princess Luna had provided me with her chariot and two of her guard. I climbed in, settled under a black velvet blanket, and we launched into the moonlight. Way down below the assembled mayors we letting their manes down, hobnobbing in the garden and milling about in the ballroom. I was going home. Home to a warm hearth, a comfortable couch, and a few chapters in a good book.